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Suggestions please for getting ds (8) to get undressed and brush his teeth by himself, without fussing

5 replies

clumsymum · 14/09/2007 17:04

Because if dh or I have to do the shouty thing AGAIN tonight, I'm going to tear my hair out.

Every day it's the same.
When it's time to get undressed and brush teeth he uses diversionary tactics, starts to do something else, messes about. says he needs help (he doesn't), says he's scared of being upstairs alone (he isn't), invents moths or spiders in the bathroom which are gone when we get there, etc. etc. etc.

So far we have tried offering rewards for good behaviour, which might work for 1 or 2 nights, and we've tried sanctions for silly behaviour (like banning computer for 24 hrs, or not allowing reading in bed because he messed about for too long).

We always get back to square one. Bedtime can take anything up to an hour.
We get the odd good night, but generally it's the silliness.
One of us does go up with him sometimes, but he still messes about instead of getting on with doing the getting ready for bed bit. It is sooooo frustrating.

Anyone else get this?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
clumsymum · 14/09/2007 17:12

.

OP posts:
McDreamy · 14/09/2007 17:13

How about turning into a race? Have you got a kitchen timer? Could you set it and see if he can beat the timer?

cornsilk · 14/09/2007 17:15

Sounds like my house clumsy mum!
One thing we do is to leave a trail of notes up the stairs to get ds1 to undress himself and get in the bath.

Hopeitwontbebig · 14/09/2007 17:21

Sounds just like my 8 year old ds2! I like the timer idea.

Othersideofthechannel · 14/09/2007 17:43

Clumsymum, DS is only 4.6 and have been struggling with this. Just so distracted. Appreciate your DS is a lot older but here's what we did

Stared off with a pasta jar specifically for getting dressed and clean teeth in the mornings and getting undressed and clean teeth in the evenings many delaying tactics. It was a bit hit and miss until we did some 'problem solving' as advised in the 'how to talk' book. One day I explained why it was a problem and asked how he could do it quickly without all the distractions. His solution was so make a list with pictures of what needs to be done and pin it up. This is reinforced by the pasta jar. So far so good, he has messed around a lot less since we problem solved and in fact sometimes goes and get dressed WITHOUT BEING ASKED!

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